NY Times: Robert Stanfield, 89, a Tory Who Lost Twice to Trudeau, Dies

[La_Serpiente]

Robert Stanfield, 89, a Tory Who Lost Twice to Trudeau, Dies

Robert Lorne Stanfield, a onetime standard-bearer for Canada's conservatives who twice lost elections to become prime minister, died on Tuesday in Ottawa. He was 89.

He died in a hospital after a long illness, Lowell Murray, a Canadian senator and longtime friend, told The Associated Press.

An unassuming man, born into wealth and trained in the law, Mr. Stanfield had a distinguished political career in Nova Scotia, serving as premier in the 1950's and 1960's. He took the reins of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1967, and in 1972 lost a bid to become prime minister when the small New Democratic Party threw its support in Parliament to Pierre Elliott Trudeau and his Liberals.

Mr. Stanfield was defeated by Mr. Trudeau again in 1974 elections, called after Mr. Trudeau lost a confidence vote in Parliament. He resigned as party leader in 1976 and gave up his seat in Parliament three years later. He was Canada's representative to the Middle East and North Africa in 1979 and 1980 and chairman of the Commonwealth Foundation from 1987 to 1991.

Robert Stanfield, 89, a Tory Who Lost Twice to Trudeau, Dies

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[Flightful]

1. He was too honest to win

The ironic thing is that Trudeau implemented his worst idea (wage controls) just six months after defeating him by campaigning against it.

[UrbScotty]

2. I guess that's the shameful part of it, huh

Maybe the US isn't the only country to have such deceitful politicians.